This invention relates generally to firearm safeties, and more specifically to a safety to disengage the sear.
The assignee of the present invention, Springfield Armory, Inc., sells a model P-9 double action pistol. This pistol is a semi-automatic, having a thumb safety which moves between a fire and a safe position. Such safety not only locks the slide against rearward movement, but also provides a projection which, when in the safe position, obstructs movement of the sear to prevent the hammer catch of the sear from disengaging the hammer, thus preventing firing. Although the P-9 pistol has been safe and reliable, it is always desirable to further improve safety.
In the P-9 type pistol, the sear has a forwardly projecting arm. It is this forwardly projecting arm which is obstructed by the projection on the safety as set forth above. However, it was realized that with this configuration, when the pistol was in a "safe" mode and force was exerted on the trigger, force was transmitted through the trigger to the trigger bar, from the trigger bar to the sear, and from the sear into the forwardly projecting arm of the sear. Such force exerted mechanical stress on the forwardly projecting arm, thereby creating a slight risk that the arm could break off under stress, creating the possibility that the weapon could accidentally discharge.
The present invention alleviates this problem while maintaining all of the pre-existing safety benefits of the older model design. In particular, when the safety is engaged, it not only obstructs movement of the sear, as described above, but it also uses a caming action to urge the trigger bar downwardly. By so doing, the trigger bar's path of movement when the trigger is pulled is relocated beneath and out of engagement with the sear. Accordingly, no matter how much force is exerted on the trigger, none of this force is transmitted into the sear (and, accordingly the forward projecting arm of the sear). Thus, the present invention provides a safer firearm without significant additional manufacturing costs.